Eagle wideouts ready to soar

Saturday

Sep 29, 2007 at 12:01 AMSep 29, 2007 at 7:48 PM

CHESTNUT HILL - Matt Ryan has gotten a lot of attention this season, and deservedly so. But Ryan isn't doing it alone. He's throwing to someone, and those someones are catching all those passes for all those yards and all those touchdowns. To date, 12 different BC players have caught passes, and they'll look to add to those numbers today against upset-hungry UMass.

Eric Avidon/Daily News staff

Matt Ryan has gotten a lot of attention this season, and deservedly so.

The Boston College quarterback has thrown for more than 300 yards in three of the four games the Eagles have played, including two for over 400 yards. He has 10 touchdown passes, including a throw slotted into a tight spot by the sideline in the end zone against Georgia Tech that had scouts drooling.

It all adds up to early-season Heisman contention and a potential spot in the first round of the NFL Draft for the 6-foot-5 senior.

But Ryan isn't doing it alone. He's throwing to someone, and those someones are catching all those passes for all those yards and all those touchdowns. To date, 12 different BC players have caught passes - including Ryan himself when a throw was deflected at the line against N.C. State.

As BC heads into this afternoon's game against UMass - a team the Eagles are on high upset alert against - the most prolific receiver has been junior Brandon Robinson, who hauled in that pass in the end zone against Georgia Tech and tap-danced to get his feet in bounds as he fell. Robinson has caught 25 passes for 353 yards. His 6.25 catches per game is 32nd-best in the country, and his 88.25 yards per game is 30th-best.

Senior Kevin Challenger has been nearly as popular a target for Ryan's passes, catching 23 for 282 yards.

"I wouldn't say we're underrated," said Robinson. "I feel that as a receiving corps we've come a long way."

While the upperclassmen are the starters and catch the most passes, there's a group of young wideouts who are getting plenty of playing time and being productive when on the field. Sophomore Rich Gunnell is BC's third-leading receiver, and fellow sophomores Justin Jarvis and Clarence Megwa have each made their mark. Even Natick's Billy Flutie has caught three passes for 26 yards.

"I said the same thing about Rich last week and I'll say the same thing about Justin - these guys continue to show up and work hard," said Ryan. "They'e giving everything they have every day out on the practice field to try and get better."

As good as they've been through four games this season, the BC receivers will face a different challenge today when they line up across from the University of Massachusetts cornerbacks. Most of the DBs the Eagles have faced are prototypical - short and fast, more finesse than physical. UMass' cornerbacks, however, are big, and they like to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage.

Brandon Freeman, a senior, is 6-foot-2, while junior Sean Smalls is 6-foot-1. Both safeties, sophomore Jeromy Miles and junior Michael Meggett, are also over 6 feet.

"They're very physical, very big. We haven't seen corners their size," said Gunnell. "Because they're so big and it's something we're not used to seeing ... they try to jam you at the line and disrupt you."

He added, "Every week is a challenge, but stuff like that makes you even more amped for this game because they're trying to be physical with you and try to break you down at the line of scrimmage. But you know that once you get by them and into your route you can have your way with them."

It's more than just the cornerbacks, however, that concern BC when it looks at the Minutemen. The Eagles understand that while UMass is a Division I-AA team, it's one of the best I-AA teams in the country.

"This is a big chance for them to show how good they are," said junior defensive tackle Ron Brace, who grew up in Springfield not far from the UMass campus and was recruited by the Minutemen. "It's all about heart. They've obviously got a lot of heart, and that's why a lot of I-AA schools are coming and beating I-A schools. Whoever is on that field wanting to take that win more is going to win."

When BC lines up against UMass today, the Eagles' Heisman candidate will be on display. But so will the guys he's throwing to, an unheralded group, but a deep one.

"We're pretty young," said Robinson. "We go out and practice as hard as we can every day. We're just trying to get better and better."